Strong art at Artist’s Club

The mixed-media show exhibits works in paint, mosaics, photography, fired clay and animal skulls.

Among the exhibiting artists are Juanity Frier, Ronel Wheeler, Conrad Bo, Sue Rankin, Bob Cnoops, Pieter Mammes, Elaine Rose Thorne, Bart Cox and Marika Gregory.

Artist’s Club, Jozi’s Lionel Murcott said the highlight of the show is young artist Refilwe Vincent Mpobole.

According to Murcott, Mpobole’s inclusion in the show happened as if by chance.

“During a recent show, Mpobole walked up from a clothing shop where he works… We got talking, and he came back a couple of days later with a roll of large-scale, immaculately pasted collages,” he said.

The club members were so impressed with Mpobole’s work, they felt it had to be shown.

Mpobole said his artistry began in 2002, when he drew Pokemon characters at school.

In 2007, he met artist John Vusi Mfupi, who became his mentor.

“I work in the same medium as him, in collage. I learned techniques from him, but have developed my own style with colour,” said Mpobole.

That year also saw Mpobole enter his first art competition, for which he received three consolation prizes.

“Later, I entered a Cartoon Network competition and won first prize. It led to a workshop at an international summer school in Scotland. We sold works at the Johannesburg Art Fair to raise funds for the trip,” he said.

Mpobole also won first prize in the Webber Wenzel Young Artists competition.

He started working solo from his Soweto studio last year.

“I want to change the way people see art, especially in black society. I want to enlighten parents to support and guide their children if they want to do art. Mfupi made art possible for me. We are all artists in different ways; in the way we wear clothes, in the way we walk. That’s individual,” he said.

The group show is at Gallery on 6th, 28 6th Street, Parkhurst, until 22 November.